The Route Of Love
by iampurplelavender
Summary: Two that were betrothed to each other did not like one another. Each had fallen in love with another. Each had wanted to wed the one that they love. Very AU. Imply mild slash, so you have been warned!
1. Chapter One

A/N : This is Alternate Universe. There is no ring, but of course, there is till darkness. Since it is AU, so anything can happen. I can't write more because it would give away the story. I'll explain the AU as we go...  
  
The Route Of Love  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Laughter rang out through the air in the garden inside the palace of Mirkwood.  
  
Her prince, Legolas, along with his lifelong friends, the mischievious twins from Rivendell, Elladan and Elrohir, and their sister, Arwen were conversing and enjoying each other's company.  
  
The Rivendell siblings were there for a long vacation, giving their father, Elrond the Lord of Rivendell, some room to breathe but much to King Thranduil's dismay, to terrorize the inhabitants of Mirkwood.  
  
They have known the Mirkwood's prince, Legolas Greenleaf, for all his life. Even though they were, at average, a few centuries older than the prince, they were the best of friends, with the Rivendell siblings playing protector to the prince.  
  
They even had the luxury of being there when Legolas was born, so they feel like a bunch of elder brothers and sister to the prince, as he was the only child of King Thranduil.  
  
The twins were so smitten with the cute little baby elf that King Thranduil was holding when they first met the baby elf, that they swore to protect the cute little being for all their lives, with all their might.   
  
All they knew about swordmanship, archery and battle skills, they passed it on to Legolas. He even inherited their skills of playing tricks on other elves.  
  
And Arwen, well, she had been there to tend bruises, and wiped his tears when he cried. She was like a mother to him, for his own mother, the Queen of Mirkwood, had died shortly after giving birth to Legolas.  
  
The siblings spent so much time in Mirkwood, that it was like second home to them.  
  
They had watched the Prince grew from a baby elf to the grown elf that he was today, equivalent to 18 years of human age.  
  
As the Prince grew in age, their love for him grew as well. He was family to them as they were to him.  
  
But somewhere in between, the brotherly love for the prince had turned into somethng more for both of the twins. But neither said anything to Legolas.  
  
They knew that Legolas was still too young to be falling in love, they had decided not to act on their impulses.  
  
"That was an accident," Legolas pouted as he was teased by Elladan.  
  
The other three just laughed at his cute little pout.  
  
"Shooting an arrow to Glorfindel's butt is no accident, Las. That was what we called stupidity. With a bad aim," Elrohir said, in midst of his laughter.  
  
"That was an ACCIDENT. It wasn't my fault he moved near my target," Legolas pouted again.  
  
Arwen took pity on the elfling, coughed and shot a small glare to her brothers.  
  
"I'm sorry. It was just so funny," Elladan said, as he could not control his laughter.  
  
"It wasn't that funny," Legolas pouted even more.  
  
"Yes, it was if you saw the look on Glorfindel's face," Elrohir said, tears from laughing visible in his eyes.  
  
"But you were too busy running back to the palace after that, and boy, were you fast," Elladan added in, still laughing.  
  
Legolas blushed remembering how scared he was after he had realized he shot Lord Glorfindel in his behind that morning during archery practice with the twins, so scared that he ran to the palace without even looking back.  
  
Seeing the look on Legolas's face, Arwen said,"Oh, ignore them, baby Leaf. They're just mean jerks."  
  
Legolas rubbed the back of his hands to his face and pretended to sniffle. Arwen shot a murderous glare towards his brothers.  
  
"Oh we're sorry Las. Okay, okay, we'll never speak of this again, okay?" Elladan tried to soothed the elfling that he thought was crying, went over to Legolas and gave him a hug.  
  
"Yes, Las. We're sorry. Don't cry, baby leaf. Shhh..." Elrohir did the same, and went over to hug Legolas.  
  
Arwen raised an eyebrow at Legolas, and he smiled back at her in triumph.  
  
'Old tricks worked the best,' Legolas thought.  
  
He knew the Rivendell sibling pampered him, sometimes even more that his father. His father would punish him if he were to do something wrong or anything bad. But those three, let's just say that with them, he would get away with murder. Always. Anything he wants, he gets.  
  
A servant interuppted their conversation.  
  
"Prince Legolas, the King requested your presence, along with the Lords and Lady of Rivendell in his library," she conveyed the message.  
  
When Legolas acknowledged the message, she bowed and left. The four of them hurriedly to the King's library to see what the King had wanted with them.  
  
When they arrived at the door to the library, Legolas knocked and waited for his father to permit them to enter.  
  
"Enter," a voice called out from inside the room. Legolas turned the knob and entered the library with his friends in tow.  
  
"You requested our presences, Ada?" Legolas asked as he entered.  
  
"Yes, indeed I did. Take a seat, all of you," King Thranduil gestured for them to take a seat.  
  
All of them looked at the King and waited for him to start his announcement.  
  
"Well, actually, this concerns only my son but you are a part of our family too, so I guess there is no harm in letting you know of this joyous news," the King said, with affection clearly showing in his eyes.  
  
Four pair of eyes looked at him, still waiting for the annoucement to end.  
  
"Well, Legolas, my son. I have found you a betroth," the King exclaimed.  
  
No reaction. Four pair of eyes still looking at him, this time dumbfounded.  
  
"What?" Legolas managed to squeked out, voice as small as a mouse.  
  
"You're getting married!" the oblivious King exclaimed again happily.  
  
Legolas jumped from his seat, and stared at his father with a surprised look on his face.  
  
To everyone's surprise, he slapped the back of his hand to his forehead, and fainted to the ground very dramatically.  
  
"LEGOLAS!"   
  
TBC...  
  
Well, how do you like it???  
  
Hmm... this act as introductory chapter, to explain their relationship, among some other things.   
  
Let me know.... so review please... 


	2. Chapter Two

******************************* Chapter 2 *************************************  
  
Thehobbitgirl : Yup, the twins are in love with our little Legolas but they did not act on it, well yet. I haven't decided what to do with them yet...  
  
kathy stgqvk : No, he's not in a theatrical comp... hehehe.... about the pairing, well, I'm got giving anything away... .  
  
farflung : Hahaha... one more bombshell coming up... but I'm sure some of you've expected this anyway... =)  
  
Yt : So sorry about the typos... yeah, and I'm sure I have a lot of grammatical mistakes as well, so before anyone complaints, you need to know that English is not my first language, so I'll try my best to minimize them, k? ^.^ and as for your weakness, I have the same one as well... hehehe  
  
SireenC : Hope this is soon enough for you... :+)  
  
Kai's LiL Angel : Well, *laugh* I'm glad you found this amusing....  
  
Nina : Here's another chapter... let me know what you think... =)  
  
Haldir's Heart and Soul : And here's more....   
  
grrr : Then you'd be glad to know that this story do contain slash... heheheh  
  
BrightIdeasCo : Yeah, pity Glorfindel's butt... as for the pairing, I'm not giving it away for now... hehehehe  
  
A million thanks to all my reviewers!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!   
  
Sorry for the late update but two multi-chap fics are really hard to maintain... I will try to update these two fics one after another but I'd have to say that my priority will be for 'A Bet On Love'...  
  
Again, sorry for any typos or grammar mistakes... I'll try to catch as many as possible...  
  
Hope you enjoy this chappie....  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"Las, wake up!"  
  
Legolas heard a voice calling him to wake up but he decided to ignore it. But the voice would not leave him alone.  
  
"Legolas, wake up!"  
  
Irritated, he replied tiredly to the intruders hindering him from his sleep," Go away! I want to sleep!"  
  
He heard chuckles around him. The twins had carried him back to his room when Legolas had fainted after hearing the announcement of marriage from the king.  
  
"Come on, baby leaf, wake up now," he was sure this voice belonged to Arwen.  
  
"NO!" he said as he pulled the covers to hid his head under it. He cluthced it tightly as he could feel someone was trying to pull the covers off him.  
  
"GO AWAY!" this time he yelled rather loudly under the covers.  
  
"Leave him then El. We'll go hunting without him then," he heard Elrohir said.  
  
Faster before anyone could move, Legolas jumped from his bed and looked at the three leves expectantly.  
  
"We're going hunting?" he asked excitedly.  
  
Elladan and Elrohir grinned for they knew just how to get the elfling out of the bed.   
  
Arwen looked at Legolas rather sadly, for she did not wished to crushed the elfling's hope to go hunting for she too knew that it was a hoax.  
  
"Baby leaf, do you not remember what happened before you fainted?" she asked slowly.  
  
"I fainted?" Legolas asked with wide eyes. Then he narrowed his eyes and said stubbornly," That's absurd. Elves do not faint!"  
  
The twins snickered. "Oh yes they do, Las. Well, you just did," Elladan said with a smirk on his face, followed by a laughter by Elrohir.  
  
Legolas glared at them but horror soon replaced the glare as he remembered what had happened.  
  
"Arrghhhh! I'm getting married?!" Legolas shrieked.  
  
Panic sets in and he began to pace around the room.  
  
"But I can't get married. I don't want to get married! I... I... I'm too young and... and... Arrgghhhh!" he said, nearly yelling.  
  
The twins laughed while Arwen put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud.  
  
Legolas glared at them.  
  
"Oh come on Las. Better yet, think of what you and your betrothed would have to do after they've pronounced you're married," Elrohir teased.  
  
Puzzled, Legolas looked at them dumbfoundedly for he had no idea what Elrohir had meant.  
  
The twins made smooching sounds and act as if they were to kiss. That earned them a rather disgusted look from Legolas.  
  
"EeeeeeeeWWWWWWWW!!!! I HAVE TO KISS HER?" Legolas exclaimed and shrieked at the same time.  
  
When the three older elves nodded, he yelled again," YUCK! That's just disgusting. Why would anyone want to KISS one another is beyond me."  
  
The twins and Arwen all hid a smile, for they were no longer unfailiar with kissing and well, other things beyond that.  
  
"Ahhh... but there're things that newly weds do that you never knew of," Elladan said before Arwen gave him a jab to his ribs.  
  
"What things?" Legolas asked curiously.  
  
"Hmmm... Think of it as a game," Elladan replied. Both Elrohir and Arwen snorted.  
  
"Really? What kind of game?" Legolas asked excitedly.   
  
'Maybe getting married would be fun too if there're games to be played,' he thought.  
  
Elladan leaned towards Legolas and whispered in his pointy ear.  
  
Arwen and Elrohir looked in amusement as they witnessed the change of expression on Legolas's face, from excitement, to horror, and finally to a disgusted look.  
  
After Elladan had finished whispering the 'game' to him, he looked at the older twin, his eyes as big as anyone could imagine.  
  
"What? I have to do that?" Legolas whispered in a small voice. Elladan nodded, a smile on his face.  
  
"EEEEEWWWWWWWWWW!!!! YUCK!!!! GROSS!!!!" he yelled in disgust and continue to exclaimed how he did not want to marry and play the 'game' that Elladan had told him about.  
  
"What did you told him?" Elrohir whispered to his brother. Arwen leaned into listen as well, for she would love to know what her brother had said to digust Legolas so.  
  
Elladan snickered and whispered back," I merely told him that he would have to kiss the bride for a full one hour, and if he cannot withstand the hour, he would need to kiss all the elves in Mirkwood, both male and females alike."  
  
All three laughed at the explanation but stopped when Legolas glared at them.  
  
"Come on, little one. The king would wish to see you, now that you're awake," Arwen said.  
  
Legolas pouted and sat on his bed. "I'm not going. He's just gonna push me to marry this elf he found for me. And I'm not kissing anyone" he said.  
  
The three elves looked at each other.  
  
"Maybe you can persuade your father to cancel the marriage," Elladan said thoughtfully, for he also would not want the marriage to take place.  
  
"Yes, Las. You should go to your father and tell him that you do not want to get married," Elrohir continued.  
  
Without losing a second, Legolas sprinted out of his room followed by the three older elves behind him.  
  
He ran towards his father's library for he was sure that was where his father would be.  
  
Legolas opened the door to the library without bothering to knock, the Rivendell siblings followed closely behind.   
  
"Ada!" Legolas called out to his father as he saw King Thranduil sitting by his desk.  
  
The king looked up and smiled as he saw his son.  
  
"Ah my son. It is good to see that you're up and about," the king said lovingly to his only son.  
  
Legolas crossed his arms across his chest and looked at his father.  
  
"Ada, I am NOT getting married!" Legolas said stubbornly.  
  
Before his father could say, Legolas continued," I am not getting a wife. I do not want to kiss any she-elf in this middle earth nor do I intend to marry any of them."  
  
"Please Ada? I will agree to anything, ANYTHING, to get out of this marriage," Legolas continued to beg his father.  
  
King Thranduil looked at his son thoughtfully before he asked," Anything?"  
  
"Yes, anything Ada," Legolas replied quickly," Please?"  
  
The king sighed in defeat and said," Fine. You are not getting a wife then."  
  
Legolas jumped and squealed happily before he gave his father, the twins and Arwen a hug each.  
  
The king coughed to get his son's attention and when he did, he asked," About this thing that you promised to do?"  
  
Legolas smiled and said," Yes, Ada? What is it that you want me to do?"  
  
The king grinned, rather evilly, and said," Well, since you refused to get a wife and was willing to do anything to get out of it..."  
  
Legolas nodded his head vigorously, as if he was afraid that the king would change his mind.  
  
"...then I would let you know that you, my son, is getting a husband," the king continued, with the sly grin still plastered on his face.  
  
Loud gasps could be heard from around the room before a loud thud as Legolas fell to the ground, fainted for the second time in a day.  
  
TBC...  
  
So... How'd you like it?  
  
Review please....  
  
Oh! You know what? I was thinking... do you think the twins get to be in ROTK??? I definitely hope so.... =+)  
  
Thanks a lotta again!!!!!! 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter 3  
  
"NO! I am NOT getting a husband!" Legolas yelled, refusing his father's request for him to get married. Well, it was not much a request, more like an order, at least in Legolas's opinion.  
  
King Thranduil sighed. He knew it would be quite difficult to convinced his son to get married, lest getting a husband. But he never thought it would be THIS difficult.  
  
I mean, the poor elf had fainted twice in a day. TWICE! That had got to be a record of some kind, for the elves.  
  
And when he finally had waken after the second time he fainted, he had been in a fit of anger, yelling and screaming at everyone present in the library.  
  
"Legolas would you please sit down for a moment," the king said, as he was getting a headache with Legolas pacing about in front of him.  
  
"NO!" Legolas replied, stubbornly.  
  
"LEGOLAS!" King Thranduil raised his voice.  
  
All the younger elves were shocked at the raise of the king's voice, for they had seldom see him yell at his only son.  
  
Legolas sat down beside Arwen, his face clearly showed that he was upset for being yelled at. His lower lip trembled and he looked as though he was about to cry.  
  
When he saw his son's hurt expression, the king felt guilty for putting his son in this position. But it had to be done. The marriage was in favor for both kingdoms.  
  
"Who is Legolas's betrothed?" Elladan asked. All waited intently for the king to explain for the name of Legolas's betrothed had not been revealed.  
  
"His name is Aragorn. He is the Prince of Gondor. Son of King Arathorn," King Thranduil said, watching carefully for his son's expression.  
  
Four pair of wide eyes stared at him in return.  
  
"I am marrying a MAN?!" Legolas jumped from his seat and exclaimed.  
  
"Not only am I getting a husband, I am betrothed to a MAN?! A MAN?!" Legolas exclaimed again in disbelief.  
  
Elladan, who was as shocked as Legolas, said," Are you sure that's wise, my king? To let Legolas marry a man, I mean?"   
  
King Thranduil sighed and said," This will be a fruitful alliance for Mirkwood and Gondor. An alliance between elves and men, like it has been in the past."  
  
"Then get some other elf to marry him then!" Elrohir said. He did not wished to see Legolas got married to a man too.  
  
The king sighed again before saying," Legolas is the Prince of Elves, and Aragorn, the Prince of Men. It is only appropriate for these two to get married."  
  
Everyone was silent. No one said a thing as they were absorbed in their own thoughts.  
  
"Is there no other way to make alliances with men?" Arwen asked slowly. It sadden her to see Legolas upset.  
  
"I wished there was but this is the best way there is," King Thranduil explained.  
  
But Legolas was determined. He did not want to marry this Aragorn," I refused! I refused to be some... some... Some thing that you trade with men for your alliance with them."  
  
Before his father could say anything, Legolas continued, yelling," I refused to be a part of your political exchange."  
  
"That's enough! You will do as I say and marry Aragorn!" the king practically shouted at his son.  
  
Legolas looked at his father in disbelief. He stared at the floor, lips trembling.  
  
Finally he looked at his father, and said with a quivering voice," Don't you love me anymore, Adar?"  
  
King Thranduil was shocked beyond words to hear his son's question of his love. Quickly, he went to his son and hugged him.  
  
"Of course I love you, baby leaf. Why did you think otherwise?" he asked, as he held the crying elfling.  
  
In between his sobs, Legolas managed to say," The why do you want to send me away? To marry me off and send me away?"  
  
"Is that what you think I was trying to do?" King Thranduil asked with a shocked expression on his face.  
  
Legolas nodded slowly," I thought maybe you're to get rid of me. Maybe somehow you're angry with me and now you don't want me around anymore." With that, he sniffled again.  
  
The twins and Arwen watched the exchange with touching emotion.  
  
"Of course not! How could you think that baby leaf? You are the light of my life. I could never be angry enough to send you away. Never!" the king roared.  
  
Legolas shook his head, not believeing his father," Then why adar? Why do you want to send me away?"  
  
The king's expression softened and he tried to explain," My son, you are a prince. With your title comes responsibilities. And this is one of them."  
  
"Then I do not wish to be a prince," Legolas said, simply.  
  
The king chuckled lightly and replied," Oh I know you did not but you are my son and there's nothing you can do to change that."  
  
Legolas nodded before asking," So you still love me?"  
  
King Thranduil laughed and replied good-naturedly," Well, even if I tried not to, I will always love you, my son."  
  
Legolas wrinkled his nose and stuck out his tongue to his father. Then he simply said," Okay."  
  
"Okay what?" his father asked.  
  
"I said okay. I will marry this man, as you wished, Adar," Legolas replied.  
  
The king looked at him and said," Good. The party from Gondor will be here in two weeks time. Now, if you please Legolas, go and wash your face. I do not like to see my child crying."  
  
"I was not crying. There was merely sand in my eyes," Legolas protested but he moved towards the door anyway.   
  
The twins snorted and Arwen smiled.  
  
"Yes, yes. Sand in your eyes. But still, I wish to see that happy face again. This time minus the tears," the king said good-naturedly.  
  
Legolas left them and went out of the library to go wash his face.  
  
The four elves that stayed behind in the library only looked at each other, not knowing what to say.  
  
Finally, King Thranduil broke the silence," Well that went well, don't you think?"  
  
A mixture of 'yes', 'hmmpphhh' and 'definitely', was heard from the three younger elves.  
  
Then with a sly grin, the king asked," So, who wants to tell him about wedding night?"  
  
TBC... 


End file.
